Lit storefront signs
Channel Letter Signs in Los Angeles
8511 Lankershim Blvd, Sun Valley · Open daily 7 AM–10 PM
Send a photo. We place the sign on it at the proposed size. The first mockup and one round of changes are free for business-sign requests, per location. Extra rounds are billed.
What are channel letters?
Each letter is a shallow aluminum can. The sides, called returns, are bent from aluminum coil. The face is translucent acrylic held in place with trim cap. LED modules inside light the face, or the wall behind the letter, which is why they're also called LED channel letters. Because every letter is its own piece, the sign reads as part of the building instead of a box hung on it.
That's why illuminated channel letters are the standard storefront sign on main streets and in strip centers across Los Angeles. They suit any business that's open after dark, and shopping-center sign criteria often call for them.
Mockup first
See the letters on your storefront before they're built
Send a straight-on phone photo of your building. We place your channel letters on it at a proposed size and color, so you and your landlord can judge them before anything is cut.
The first mockup and one round of changes are free for business-sign requests, per location. Extra rounds are billed.
A phone photo is enough. No payment details.
IllustrationBoth images are illustrations of the process, not a customer project.
How channel letters are built
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Returns
The sides of each letter are bent from prefinished aluminum coil, usually 3 to 5 inches deep. Stock colors, or painted to match your brand. -
Faces and trim cap
Faces are cut from translucent acrylic and held with trim cap, which also finishes the edge. Translucent vinyl on a white face gives a close match to your brand colors. -
Backs and LED modules
Backs are routed aluminum. LED modules are spaced inside so the face lights evenly, without hot spots or dark corners. -
Raceway or direct mount
Letters mount straight to the wall with a remote power supply, or on a raceway: a slim box that holds the wiring and needs fewer holes in the wall.
Lit or non-lit letters?
| Feature | Front-lit channel letters | Halo-lit (backlit) letters | Non-lit dimensional letters |
|---|---|---|---|
| At night | The whole face glows in your color. | A soft glow on the wall outlines each letter. | Dark, unless a light shines on it. |
| By day | Colored acrylic faces with trim cap. | Solid metal faces, brushed or painted. | Solid acrylic, aluminum, PVC or foam. |
| Power at the wall | Needed | Needed | Not needed |
| City of LA permit | Yes. Lit-sign permits go only to C-10 or C-45 licensed contractors. | Yes, the same as front-lit. | A new wall sign usually needs one, without the electrical part. |
| Best for | Retail and restaurants open after dark | Lobbies, salons, offices and upscale storefronts | Daytime businesses and interior walls |
Permit notes are general information for the City of Los Angeles, not an approval. Burbank, Glendale and Pasadena have their own rules.
Backlit option
Backlit channel letters for a quieter look
Backlit channel letters, also called halo-lit or reverse channel letters, have solid faces. The LEDs face the wall, so each letter glows from behind. They suit lobbies, salons and offices as much as storefronts.
The letters stand off the wall on spacers so the light can spread. Wall color and texture change the glow, which is one more reason to see it in a mockup first.
Channel letters or something else?
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Illustration
Lightbox (cabinet) sign
One lit box with a printed face. It lights a full logo, usually costs less than letters of the same size and is easy to reface later. It reads as a box, not as letters, and some zones and cities restrict cabinet signs. Ask about a lightbox
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Illustration
Non-lit dimensional letters
Solid 3D letters in acrylic, aluminum, PVC or foam, mounted on studs. No power at the wall and a clean look by day. They fade into the wall after dark unless something lights them. Ask about dimensional letters
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Illustration
Blade sign
A two-sided sign that sticks out from the wall for people on the sidewalk. Often paired with channel letters on the fascia. In the City of LA it needs at least 8 ft of clearance above the sidewalk. Ask about a blade sign
Sign-type photos are illustrations, not our projects.
What we need for a quote
Free: 1 mockup + 1 round of changes per location for business-sign requests. Extra rounds are billed. No payment details. No obligation to order.
- A straight-on photo of the wall or fascia, from across the street
- The address, so we know which city reviews the sign
- Rough width and height of the sign area
- Your logo file (AI, EPS, PDF or SVG if you have one)
- Your landlord's sign criteria, if you rent
- Whether there's power near the sign location
- Your opening date, if you have one
For lit signs, a night photo of the building helps too.
Send photos any time
Email hello@angelsprint.com with your business name in the subject.
LA permit note
Channel letters in Los Angeles need a sign permit
In the City of Los Angeles, a new or changed sign needs a permit, and permits for lit signs are issued only to a C-10 or C-45 licensed contractor. Our licensed sign-contractor partner files the permit, and we prepare the drawings. Your quote lists the installer's CSLB license number.
Two rules help channel letters: in most commercial zones a tenant can have about 3 sq ft of wall sign per foot of storefront, and channel letters get 20% more area when the wall color behind them stays the same. The National Electrical Code (NEC 600.3) requires electric signs to be listed.
Information, not an approval. Burbank, Glendale and Pasadena have their own rules. Read the Los Angeles sign permit guide or the LADBS Sign Manual.
In the City of LA, new, changed, removed and lit signs usually need a permit. A face change alone usually doesn't.
What channel letters usually cost
No two channel letter signs cost the same: the price is set by the letters and by the wall they go on. HomeAdvisor's national reference for installed channel letters is $4,000 to $20,000 (HomeAdvisor, 2026).
Send a photo for a real number. Any range shown is a national reference, not our price.
Made in Sun Valley
Faces and LEDs made on Lankershim
Faces, trim cap, vinyl and the LED layout are made at Angels Print, 8511 Lankershim Blvd in Sun Valley. Come see letter and material samples in person. We're open daily, 7 AM to 10 PM.
Related sign types
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Storefront signs The main sign over your door, lit or unlit.
See storefront signs
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Window graphics Logos, hours and privacy film on glass.
See window graphics
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Lobby signs Your logo on the wall behind the front desk.
See lobby signs
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Monument signs Low signs at your entrance or lot.
See monument signs
Sign-type photos are illustrations, not our projects.
Channel letter questions
Still deciding? Call (818) 806-9006 or text a photo and ask.
What are channel letters?
Raceway or direct mount: which should I choose?
Do channel letters need a permit in Los Angeles?
How big should my letters be?
Can you match my brand colors?
Who installs the letters?
Can I see samples before I decide?
See your channel letters on your storefront
Free: 1 mockup + 1 round of changes per location for business-sign requests. Extra rounds are billed. Or bring your logo to the shop, open daily 7 AM–10 PM.
What to send
- A straight-on photo of the wall, from across the street.
- The address, so we know which city reviews the sign.
- Your logo file, if you have one.
One photo is enough to start. For lit letters, a night photo helps.
8511 Lankershim Blvd, Sun Valley, CA 91352Open daily 7 AM to 10 PMGet directions